"If the mayor’s not going to provide security....get yourself some firearms because you’re going to have to protect yourselves"

John Rivera, president of the Miami-Dade Police Benevolent Association, has warned Florida residents to arm themselves because the police are not coming.

Speaking to WSVN News, Rivera said, “If the mayor’s not going to provide security, then my recommendation, as an experienced law enforcement officer for nearly 40 years, is either buy yourself an attack dog, put bars on your windows and doors and get yourself some firearms because you’re going to have to protect yourselves.”

The comments were made after Mayor Carlos Gimenez decided to cut $64 million from his 2014-2015 budget resulting in a possible loss of 600 police jobs to the county.

Miami-Dade is the largest local law enforcement department in the state, and one of the top ten in the country, serving 2.5 million people.

Guns.com reports, “Several specialized units including the Incident Management Team, Sport Unit, Tactical Narcotics Team, and one of the three Special Response Teams in the city would be disbanded. The department would be forced to shutter one of its nine stations, specifically the Midwest District Station, as well as closing the Corrections Department’s “Boot Camp” rehabilitation program for young inmates.”